Dispensing container



May 7, 1957 G. w. WlGERT ETAL DISPENSING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21., 1954 T m mw V mw E G R .0 E G THOMAS F. BRENNAN BY M M j/ I ,W/GM

ATTORNEYS May' 7, 1957 w. WIGERT ETAL DISPENSING CONTAINER 2 $hee ts-Sheet 2 Filed April 21. 1954 INVENTORS GEORGE W. WIGERT THOMAS F. BRENNAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent DISPENSING CONTAINER George W. Wigert, Union, N. .L, and Thomas F. Brennan, Valhalla, N. Y., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 21, 1954, Serial No. 424,678

8 Claims. (Cl. 222--480) The present invention relates to dispensing containers of the type having a rotary disc-type closure positioned on the upper end member, and has particular reference to a container in which the upper end member through which the contents are to be dispensed is initially imperiorate and unscored in order to insure a hermeticallysealed package, an access Opening being provided in the rotary sifter closure to randomly expose a portion of the imperforate upper end member to permit a dispensing opening to be cut therein by a commercially available can opening punch.

There are now available on the market a number of diiferent types of dispensing containers which permit controlled discharge of their contents. However, the end members of all of these containers are either provided with a precut dispensing opening or with score lines or incisions which enable the ultimate consumer to depress a predetermined portion of the end member and thus form a dispensing opening. While such containers may be satisfactory for someproducts, they have a number of disadvantages which weigh against them. Thus, those containers which have dispensing openings or incisions precut in their ends do not provide a hermetic or vacuum seal to protect their contents against deterioration, while those which have score lines partially cut through are frequently difl'icult to open because of unavoidable variations in the depth of the score lines inherent in the scoring process. Then, too, the prescored openings are sometimes opened prematurely by accident.

The instant invention provides a sitter to container construction which overcomes these disadvantages by making it possible to form a dispensing opening in an initially imperforate, unscored, hermetically sealed end member by means of a commonlyavailable commercial can punch of the type that fulcrums on the upper end seam of the container.

An object of the instant invention therefore, is to. provide a dispensing container having a rotary closure and an initially imperforate, unscored top end member to make possible hermetic or vacuum sealing of the contents and thus insure factory freshness to the ultimate consumer. I

Another object is to provide a container in which the rotary closure is provided with an access opening or cut away portion which extends from closely adjacent the end seam of the container so that a dispensing opening can be punched in the exposed end member through the access opening by a commercial rocker type can punch without deformation or damage to the rotary sitter closure by the punch.

Still another object is to provide a sitter top container in which the access opening in the sifter closure is of comparatively large size in order to accommodate a variety of different size can punches, the rotary closure being also provided with a dispensing sifter opening of a predetermined, comparatively small size adapted to be positioned over the punched opening to provide controlled sitter dispensing of the contents of the container.

types of materials. Thus, the closure shown in Figs. 1

2,791,359 Patented May 7, 1957 Another object is to provide improved means for securing the rotary sifter closure to the container so that its periphery does not project beyond the inner upright wall of the end seam where it might interfere with the operation of the opening punch.

Another object is to provide an improved dispensing container wherein a rotary closure member is secured to the top end of the container in a manner which insures smooth, non-binding rotation of the closure to closing or dispensing position.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete unopened container embodying the principles of the instant invention, the view also showing a container opening punch positioned preparatory to the opening of the container;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the form of rotary sifter closure member used in the container shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified form of rotary sifter closure;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 44 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 4 but showing the modified rotary sifter closure of Fig. 3 positioned on the container;

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are plan views on a reduced scale of the container shown in Fig. 5; with the rotary closure in three different operative positions; Fig. 6 showing the container immediately after having been opened, the opening device being shown in dot and dash lines; Fig. 7 showing the rotary closure in closing position; and Fig. 8 showing the rotary closure in sifting position; and

Figs. 9 and l0 are enlarged fragmentary sections taken substantially along the lines 9--9 and 10-10, respectively, of Fig. 6 with the container opening punch shown in full lines.

As a preferred or exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the drawings illustrate a dispensing container A which comprises a cylindrical tubular body member 12 having a hermetically sealed side seam 14. The ends of the body 12 are closed by means of a top end member 16 and a bottom end member 18, which are secured to the body 12 in double seams 20 and 22, respectively. These double seams are composed of interfolded peripheral portions of the body 12 and ends 16, 18 and are sealed by the usual sealing compound (not shown) which is interposed between at least two layers of each seam. As seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the upper double seam 20 projects outwardly from the body 12 and upwardly from the top end member 16, and includes an inner layer which comprises an annular upright wall section 23. The end members 16, 18 are imperforate and unscored, and, together with the body 12 provide a completely hermetic container A which excludes the outside air from the contents of the container. If desired, the interior of the container may be vacuumized to provide additional protection for the contents.

The container A also includes a rotary closure member 24 which is carried by the top end member 16. The rotary closure 24 comprises a flat disc-shaped panel portion 26 which lies flat against the top end member 16 and is provided with a narrow peripheral bead 28 which preferably is elevated slightly above the plane of the panel 26 and is connected thereto by means of an annular web 30 which is disposed radially inwardly of the bead 28. The rotary closure member 24 may be made of various 2nd 4 may be made of a moldable or extrudable substance such as metal, fibre, or any one of the well known plastics h a n l eth ene polystyrene, eta, while the closure illustrated in the remaining figures preferably is made from sheet metal.

In order to secure the rotary closure. 24 to the contai ner, peripherally spaced portions of one or more of the inner layers of the upper end seam 21), areofiset inwardlyto PIQYid? u lity of'hollow, overhanging, closure-retaining lugs 32. ,The bottom wall 331 of each retaining lug 32 is spaced from the top of the seam 20 5 i p sferab y inclined as .viewed in cross-section (Figs. 4, 5, 9 so that it engages therotary closure bead 28 in substantially line contact. As'be'st seenin Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, the overall diameter of therotary-elosune 24, inelnding the bead 28, is made slightly less than the internal diameter of the inner uprightwall za'dr theupper end seam 20 in orderto. spacethe'bad 28 laterally-away from the upright wall -23.'and thus insure that the bead makes sliding contact only with the inclinedwalls- 34 of the retaining lugs 32. This spacing between the head 28 and theupright wall 23, together with the fact that the bead makes only line Contact with the inclinedlug walls 34, reduces friction to. a minimum andthus; overcomes any tendency of the closure 24 to bind; or wedgeas it is. rotated relative to the retaining lugs 32.

In practice, the hollow retaining lugs 32 a r'etormed as an incident to the cover seaming operation, and the rotary closure 24 is thereafter snapped into'position bef neath the. retaining lugs 32 and is centered on the upper end member 16 by the inclined lug walls 34. 'The rotary closure 24 should therefore be made of material which is resilient or at least slightly flexible so that it can be readily snapped into place.

In order to provide for the opening of the container 'A and the consequent dispensing of its cont'ehts,'an access opening or cutaway portion 36 is provided in the rotary closure 24' to permitthe use of a can opening punch 38 0f the type commercially available for o pen ing metal cans'containing beer or other beverages As seen in Figs. 1 9 11mm; the punch '38- cempnedanandie 40, a fulcrum lug. 42 anda' triangular cutter 11682144. In operatiomthe cutter head 44 is aligned abovejtheiaccess opening'36 and. the lug'42 is fulcru'rned on the upper end seam 20 (seeFig, 1). The handle 40 is thenfpulled upwardly to" rock the cutter head downwardly and effect the cutting'of; a triangular dispensing opening 48 in the top end-'member 16 This cutting t the topend member 16-is made through the -acces s 'opiening; 36 ojf-the verted and shaken.

the closure member 24, including a portion of the head 28 as seen in Fig. 2, or by removing a similarly shaped portion of only the rotary closure panel 26 radially inwardly of the bead 28, leaving the bead 28 undisturbed, as seen in Fig. 3. In either construction the access opening 26 extends radially inwardly from the closure bead 28 and lies sufliciently close to the end scam 20 to prevent damage to the rotary closure 24 as a result of the cutting of the dispensing opening 48.

After the dispensing opening 48 has been thus cut, the rotary closure member 24 can be rotated to position an imperforate portion of the closure panel 26 above the dispensing opening 48, as seen in Fig. 7, to temporarily close the container. To facilitate this rotation, it is desirable to provide finger engaging elements on the rotary closure 24. Such elements may take the form of a single diametric rib 50 as in the closure construction shown in Fig. 2, or may comprise two opposed sets of corrugations 52 as in the construction illustrated inEig. 3'.

Although the cutter heads of commercially available can punches vary somewhat in dimensions, they all form openi-ngsof considerable size. Such comparatively large openings do not provide the necessary control over the dispensing of certain types of products such as grated cheese or powdery materials when the container is in- In order to provide such control, one or more small sifter holes 54' are formed in the rotary closure member 24. Thus, when the closure 24 is rotated to position the sifter holes 54 over the dispensj ing opening 48, as shown in Fig. 8, controlled sifting of 'the container contents may be effected regardless of the size of the dispensing opening 48. The size of the Sifter holes 54 may, of course, be varied to suit the na' ture of the container contents.

' It is: thought that the invention and many of' itsattendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and, it will be apparentv that various changes may be made in the form, construction. and arrangement of the parts without departing, from. the spirit and scope of the inventionor sacrificing. all of its materialf advantages, the form hereinbeforedescribed merely apreferred embodiment thereof.

We a m: 1, A hermetically sealed. dispensing container, comprising a cylindrical body, a single, imperforate counters unlg end member secured toan end of said body in an rotary closure 24 and'is completed whentlie, ton .Q the 50..

end closure need not be'irrdexdlfwith respect to the P am t n aine fmsmh r. 6 when t' s nar s la e sat j he ra -entities 2.; he closiire access p ni .1mm wa e u t i' h t net. i pensing opening 48 are respectively positionedand formed 'at randomonthe container end 161 1 i v The cuts made by canpunch 38 closely approach; the end seam zil at the outer corners of thefo'r dispens- "ing openingflfifseeFigs. 6 and 10), and itiis fthusitfl' f j t e a t open n fi i t nds; wmL etra Po on f. h otar i lqsure, panel ubst to its peripheraledgeclosely adjacent thercndis 29, in .srs r' Pre ent.daa ewp e t r l i e' fil ie might prevent or interfere with its subsequent rotation. In rpvi efarlhi t h aq s' s aeninefifi ma 6 fan m l tt ii lfllinlifig. a, ect shaped; pin on; f i

end seam, having a. inner, annular upright wall,, and-,a rotatabl eiclo suremember having a flat panel portion disposed in surface engagement with said end,- member. with the, cry ofsaid closuremember extending closely adiac upright seam wall, circumferentially.spaced portion s of said upright end seam at the outer'end, wall ltr imfg eing.v offset radially inwardly and, overhanging sai "closure. member periphery to. confine said closure member for, rotary. movement only on said end member,

, saidclosuremernber, panelportion having anaccessopcnthe e r r ext ending substantiallyto-its said periphery to expose 'therethrough at random a portion of said imi perforate Cndmember for,rupture; by a punch, typecontainer. opcpingimplementinserted through the access opei g ot said, closure member.

.. A- ealed i asn i s ont inea. comp ising. a y inbody, n. mner orate un ers nk, end: mbe

to amendqf said, body, in an-,ou,twardly projectmamaeam nc u in an n r, nnu r: prig t i w l peripherally spaced portions of said end searnwalkbeing qfiset laterally, inwardly; in oyerhanging relation .to said ills end, memb r, 1 andaeircular rotary closure e ae Perma en y. pnfined; in. mova e- 0 1 with the -uppergsurface of :said :end: member by) said overhangingwall portions; ofsaid end .seam with the peripl'nary-- of said: closure. membera disposed radially inwardly off'said endcseamtinnergwall and-below. the level of thetop of aromas said end seam, said rotary closure member having an access opening therein of substantial size extending closely adjacent said end seam wall to expose at random therethrough a portion of said end member in which a dispensing opening may be cut without damage to said closure member by the cutting head of a rocker type opening punch inserted into said closure member access opening and fulcrumed on said outwardly projecting end scam.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein said access opening is substantially sector-shaped to provide a visual guide for positioning therein the cutting head of said opening punch.

4. A sealed dispensing container adapted to be opened by a rocker type opening punch, comprising a cylindrical body, an imperforate countersunk end member permanently secured to an end of said body in an outwardly and upwardly projecting end seam including an inner annular upright wall, peripherally spaced portions of said end seam Wall extending radially inwardly in overhanging relation to said countersunk end member, and a circular rotatable closure member permanently confined in movable contact with the outer surface of said end member by said inwardly extending portions of said end seam with the periphery of said closure member disposed radially inwardly of said end seam wall and below the level of the top of said end seam, said closure member having an access opening therein of substantial size extending closely adjacent said end seam wall to expose at random through said opening a portion of said end member in which a dispensing opening may be cut without damage to said rotatable closure member by the cutting head of said opening punch when fulcrumed on said end seam, said rotatable closure member further having at least one sifter hole of predetermined size spaced from said access opening and rotatable into registry with said end member dispensing opening to permit controlled sifting of the container contents therethrough.

5. A sealed dispensing container adapted to be opened by a rocker type opening punch, comprising a cylindrical body, an imperforate unscored countersunk end member permanently secured to an end of said body in an outwardly and upwardly projecting end seam including an inner annular upright wall, peripherally spaced portions of said end seam wall being offset radially inwardly to constitute a plurality of closure retaining lugs on said seam, and a circular rotatable closure member having an upstanding peripheral bead engaging beneath said seam retaining lugs to permanently hold said closure member in rotatable engagement with said end member, said closure member having an access opening of substantial size extending from said bead towards the center thereof to expose at random a portion of said end member through which a dispensing opening smaller in size than said closure member access opening may be cut by said opening punch without damage to said closure member by the cutter head of said punch when fulcrumed on said outwardly projecting end seam.

6. A sealed dispensing container adapted to be opened by an opening punch of the rocker type, comprising a cylindrical body, an imperforate unscored countersunk end member permanently secured to an end of said body in an outwardly and upwardly projecting end seam having an inner annular upright wall, circumferentially spaced portions of said end seam wall being ofiset laterally and radially inwardly to constitute a plurality of closure retaining lugs on said seam, and a circular rotary closure member having an upstanding peripheral bead engaging beneath said seam retaining lugs to permanently hold said closure in rotatable engagement with said end member, said closure member having an access opening of substantial size extending radially inwardly from said bead to substantially the center thereof to expose at random a localized area of said end member in which a dispensing opening smaller in size than said closure member access opening may be cut by said opening punch without damage to said closure member by the cutter head of said punch when fulcrumed on said outwardly projecting end seam, said rotary closure member further having a plurality of comparatively small sifter holes spaced from said access opening and rotatable into registry with said end member dispensing opening to permit controlled sifting therethrough of the container contents.

7. A sealed dispensing container adapted to be opened by an opening punch of the rocker type, comprising a cylindrical body, an imperforate unscored countersunk end member secured to an end of said body in an outwardly projecting end seam of multiple thickness including an inner annular wall, peripherally spaced portions of said Wall being offset radially inwardly to constitute a plurality of closure disc retaining lugs on said scam, the base of each of said lugs comprising an inclined locking wall disposed in spaced overhanging relation to said countersunk end member, and a circular rotatable closure disc of slightly less diameter than that of said annular end seam wall seated on said end member, the periphery of said disc comprising an upstanding curled peripheral bead engaging tangentially beneath said inclined locking walls of said retaining end seam lugs to center said closure disc for rotation on said end member with said peripheral bead disposed in anti-friction engagement with said retaining lugs, said closure disc having an access opening of substantial size extending radially inwardly from closely adjacent said end seam wall to substantially the center of said disc to expose at random a sector shaped area of said imperforate end member, whereby a triangular dispensing opening may be cut by said opening punch in said exposed end member area without injury to said closure disc by the cutter head of said punch when fulcrumed on said outwardly projecting end seam, said rotatable closure disc further having a plurality of sifter holes of predetermined size rotatable into registry With said triangular dispensing opening to insure controlled dispensing of the container contents.

8. A hermetically sealed dispensing container comprising a cylindrical body having a single countersunk end member secured thereto in a projecting end seam of multiple thickness, said seam including an inner annular seam wall disposed normal to the plane of said end member, circumferentially spaced portions of said seam wall at the outer end thereof being ofiset radially inwardly to provide a plurality of peripheral lugs for retaining a movable closure on said end member, the base of each of said lugs constituting an inclined locking wall overhanging the countersink of said end member, and a substantially circular rotatable closure disc of slightly less diameter than said annular end seam wall seated on said countersunk end member, the periphery of said disc comprising an upstanding peripheral bead of curved cross-section engaging tangentially beneath said inclined locking walls of said closure retaining lugs to center said disc on said end member in anti-friction engagement with said end seam, whereby said closure disc may be rotated on and relative to said end member without binding or wedging against said seam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 770,485 West Sept. 20, 1904 844,640 West Feb. 19, 1907 1,740,872 Pearson et a1. Dec. 24, 1929 2,254,581 Punte Sept. 2, 1941 2,420,738 Dickerman May 20, 1947 

